Nov. 8, 2000
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford University Men's Basketball Head Coach Jimmy Tillette announced the signing of two players for the 2001-2002 season on Wednesday.
Inking with the Bulldogs on the first day of the early signing period are Anthony LoPiano of Franklin Square, N.Y., and J. Robert Merritt of Oklahoma City, Okla.
"Anthony and J. Robert are great complements to this year's freshman class," says Tillette. "Combining them with the freshmen we have this year will really complete the puzzle and cement this team for the next few years."
LoPiano is a 6-1, 170-pound point guard who averaged 10.2 points, six assists and three steals per game for coaches Rob Pavinelli and Jim Fox at St. Dominic High School in Long Island, N.Y. As a junior LoPiano earned All-League honors in the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) and was invited to play in the Metro All Star Classic in New York.
"Anthony is an extremely savvy player with tremendous skills at the point guard position," Tillette says. "He is completely unselfish, but at the same time he's a hard-nosed player that is tailor-made for our system."
LoPiano was a member of a St. Dominic team that posted a 22-4 record and participated in the state playoffs last season, and faces a schedule this year that includes six of the top 20 teams in the nation. He chose Samford over Liberty, Elon, Louisiana-Lafayette and Bucknell.
J. Robert Merritt is a 6-6, 190-pound forward who plays for coaches Gary Looper and Tondrell Durham at Bishop McGuinness High School in Oklahoma City. The left-hander averaged 16 points, 5.5 rebounds and four assists as a junior in 1999-00, and shot 84 percent from the free throw line.
"J. Robert is a very versatile player who has a knack for scoring around the goal," Tillette adds. "He is a great perimeter shooter, an outstanding passer and a very good ball handler for a wing player."
Merritt earned 4-A All-State and First Team All-City honors as a junior, and was named to the All-Tournament team for the second consecutive year. Last season Merritt led his Bishop McGuinness team to its third consecutive state championship, a team that has lost a total of only eight games in the last three seasons. Merritt chose Samford over Denver, Air Force, Stephen F. Austin and Texas Christian University.
